DVRs, cable boxes, and satellite TV boxes are horrifying energy hogs. According to a report by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), these devices eat up half as much power as a brand new, full-size refrigerator, and more than most modern TVs.

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Some modern European cable boxes and DVRs have better power-saving features, like an actual standby mode, but boxes in America are all pretty much in the same boat in terms of power consumption, whether on standby or not. The nicer the cable box or DVR, the higher the power consumption. Satellite TV HD-DVRs are the absolute worst of the bunch, according to the report, but the same boxes hooked up to cable aren't much better. The NRDC wants regulation for set-top boxes that could fix this problem by forcing manufacturers to build them with power consumption in mind, but until that day comes, it's probably best to just turn them off when not in use.

That's easy for regular cable or satellite boxes, but the point of a DVR is to stay on while you're not home so it can record your shows for you—but if you're not planning on recording anything while you're sleeping, you could end up saving a decent amount over the span of a month by shutting it off at night. Photo by Joshua Blount.